Anthony arrived in the city on Tuesday night following the completion of the three-team trade that also brought veteran point guard Chauncey Billups from Denver to the Knicks.

The pair are expected to go directly into the starting lineup, if all physical exams are passed, as the Knicks meet the Bucks on Wednesday night before an upbeat and eager Madison Square Garden crowd.

They won't have had a chance to practice with their new teammates. But the 34-year-old Billups is the consummate pro and likely will go right to work in trying to help Anthony and Knicks star Amare Stoudemire mesh their talents on the floor.

The Bucks. coming off a 94-88 home victory over Minnesota on Tuesday, will be dropped into the Garden spotlight as everyone in the NBA takes stock of the new-look Knicks.

So it's a chance for the Bucks to make a point that they're not out of the Eastern Conference playoff race quite yet.

Anthony, Billups and the four other players acquired by the Knicks are scheduled to be introduced to the media in a 5 p.m. (New York time) news conference at the Garden. The trade finally became official late Tuesday on a league conference call which had been delayed until Anthony completed a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets that was part of the deal.

One interesting note on that No. 7: Among the Knicks to have sported the number is Dean Meminger, the former Marquette star who wore it from 1971-'74 and 1976-'77.